Handcarts for the pushing

[hutch]

Hmmm... Might have been a B.S.A. See http://www.bsafwdc.co.uk/page54.php

A great article but the rear loadspace buggered up.

[Arfer Mo]

I did a bit of that Arthur, pushing handcarts that is.

When I worked for a Property 'dodger', based in the center of Sheffield, that's all we had, me and my mate, a handcart. We used to load up in the yard with all the necessary gear, ladders, batons for scaffold, sand, cement, ladder cripples, (remember those?) scaffold ropes, all one handcart full.

One memorable job we had was up Walkley. Chimney job it was. Anyhow, we loaded the ladders, and shoved the cart up Walkley. Found the house, assesed the job.

We needed, 1cwt of sand plus bag of cement, new pot (three footer), Colt cowl, can of Rito to slap around the lead flashing.

So it was me that had to go down to Parkers at Silver Street head, get the stuff, and shove the ever loving handcart back up to Walkley.

Everything went fine until I got to Barber Road. If anybody remembers, there was only about 18'' between the causie(?) edge and the tramtrack. So there was me, 8 stone wet through, slipping and sliding on the cobbles, and a tram came up behind.

The b******d clanged his bell and kept coming. I tried to pull the cart onto the footpath but he caught the wheel and upturned the lot.

So if any of you old 'uns saw the incident, I want a witness.

Texas, l was once dared to go down Blake st for a £1 bet , all the usual tackle on and a pole ladder, the pavement edge held me ok but half way down there was a big lump out of an edge stone , the wheel jumped up and the cart ran away with me, about 30 ft further down was a telegraph pole l aimed for it and first 4 rungs popped out and the ladder jammed ! we had to saw it out, Frank Astling my boss said its a good job it was an old un or thad a got sack old memories come back every day don't they Cheers Arthur,